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That Was Then, This Is Now By: S.E. Hinton


1. Who are Bryon and Mark?

Bryon and Mark are close friends who treat each other like brothers and live together ever since Mark's parents died. Mark is a thief and can do things like hot wire cars or pick pocket while Bryon, hustles people in pool but, is a little more sensitive than Mark. Both are very tough fighters and powerful people.

2. Who are the two young people Bryon meets at the hospital?

One person Bryon meets is named Mike Chambers, who was beat nearly to death by a group of friends. The beating was ordered by a person for which he just did a favor. The other person he meets is his future girlfriend, Cathy. She is the sister of Bryon's friend M&M. He meets her working at the hospital snack bar after returning from private school.

3.What kind of relationship does Bryon have with Charlie?

Bryon seems to think of Charlie as an uncle. He is very fond of him, even though he is just his bartender. Charlie is nice in return to Bryon giving him privileges, such as using his car and underage drinking.

4.What Happens at the Dance?

At the dance, Mark is beat up by a man. The man was paid to beat up a friend of Mark's, Curtis. The man was paid by Bryon's ex-girlfriend, Angela, because Curtis ignored her. The fight ruined Bryon's date with Cathy because he had to get Mark to the hospital as quickly as possible. Bryon swears revenge on Angela.


5. What does Bryon begin to discover in his private conversations with Mark?

He discovers that Mark does not think of Bryon's mother as his mother. He also discovers that Mark recalls many things from when they were younger such as them climbing up a tree and pretending they were cowboys and revels in the past but Bryon is moving forward in life.


6. What happened to Charlie? How do Bryon and Mark feel about it?

Charlie, the bartender, was shot and killed by the people that Bryon and Mark had just hustled in a game of pool. Bryon is devastated while Mark seems to lack care.

7. What do Mark and Cathy think of each other?

Mark and Cathy do not think very highly of each other and exchange insults at times. Bryon does not enjoy this and tries to make it stop but fails. Although Bryon usually takes Cathy's side since she is his girlfriend.

8. What does Mark do to Angel? Why?

Mark gives her enough beer to get her drunk. Then he takes out a pair of scissors and cuts off all her hair. Mark leaves her on her front lawn. Bryon would be accused and then beaten for this act later.

9. In chapter 7, what does Bryon begin to discover about his good friend Mark?

He discovers the darker side of Mark and notices the bad things he does; like stealing, hot wiring cars and muggings. He also realizes Mark knows many things such as, where people go and who they're with. Bryon begins to worry since Mark doesn't share these things causing them to become distant from each other. They had always been like brothers.

10. What happens to Bryon at Terry Jones' house? How does his attitude change?

He gets beat up by the Shepard brothers after they accused him of cutting off Angela's hair. This changes his attitude because he has a change of heart about fighting altogether.

11. In chapter 9, what happens to M&M? Why does this move Bryon?

In chapter 9, Bryon and Cathy find M&M after he abruptly left in the car. When they found him, he had gone insane after taking a powerful drug. He and Cathy take him to the hospital, where the doctor tells them he will never fully recover. This moves Bryon because he felt like a part of Cathy's family.

12. What shocking discovery does Bryon make in Mark's bedroom? What does he do?

He discovers Mark has been selling drugs to people in his neighborhood so Bryon decides to call the police on him.

13. How does Bryon's relationship with his friends and his attitude toward life completely change?

Bryon's attitude towards life changed completely beause he used to be irresponsible and bad but events in his life change his attitude to be more responsible. Bryon's relationships became distant with almost everybody which was sad. He becomes almost completely empty as Mark rejects him when Bryon visits him in prison.

14. How does Bryon feel at the end of the book?

Bryon feels alone and without anyone to turn to because he had turned to Mark his whole life.

15. What do you think about this book and what life message does it teach?

I think it was a very good book that really gave you a feel of what life is like as a tough, troubled teen. The life message is that you always should do the right thing even if it hurts and and hope things might turn out alright in the end.